on Friday, 15 April 2016.
Privacy and open source advocates have raised concerns after discovering that the automatic installation of Google Chrome, comes with an added capability that allows remote technicians to listen in on conversations held near computers. The audio-snooping feature was first identified by open source developers, who noticed that the Chromium browser remotely installed the audio surveillance code, allowing computers to be tapped.
Rick Falkvinge, founder of the first Pirate Party, reports that Google is downloading a “black box” of code into Chrome users’ computers through its open source Chromium. The code switches on the microphone to enable it to eavesdrop into the room.
The code was designed to support Chrome’s new “OK, Google” hotword detection – which enables the computer to respond to a human voice. However, some users have claimed that the audio listening code was installed and activated on computers without their consent.
Responding to the claims, a Google spokeswoman has said, “We’re sure you’ll be relieved to learn we’re not listening to your conversations – nor do we want to. We’re simply giving Chrome users the ability to search hands free at their computers by saying “OK, Google” while on the Google homepage – and only if they choose to opt in to the feature.”